


Labor & Destiny

by ReyReySolo



Category: Reylo - Fandom, Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Anatomy Descriptions, Angst, Badass Rey, Contention, Doctor Ben Solo, Dr Rey, Emergency Csection, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, Gingerrose - Freeform, Grouchy Ben Solo, Hot Kiss, Midwife Rey, OB Ben Solo, Pining, Pregnancy, Reylo - Freeform, Soft Ben Solo, Soulmates, Surgical Details, birth descriptions, fated mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:01:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23636467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReyReySolo/pseuds/ReyReySolo
Summary: Ben is an eminent, stubborn OB. Rey is a brilliant, heartwarming midwife. Will their methods and professional judgement clash or can they find a way to come together for their patients and for themselves?
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 30
Kudos: 135





	Labor & Destiny

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SheWalksInBeauty26](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheWalksInBeauty26/gifts).



Ben was generally reserved and stoic, unless his work was challenged, then he was brash and downright stubborn. Dr. Solo, as one might say, was stuck in his ways. He was highly trained, he excelled in his work, completed his fellowship in perinatology and was the most sought-after Maternal-Fetal-Medicine specialist in the Midwest. He accepted the honor of becoming the director of a renowned division, taking his research with him. Ben was so used to seeing high risk cases that he tended to bring his over-competence into every case he touched. He was conservative and perhaps a bit overcautious, but one could never be too cautious when holding the weight of two lives in their hands. 

Rey was already well-established at the institution when Ben Solo arrived.. She was a professor of midwifery, gave lectures at the medical school on low risk birth, and, of course, was the founder of the Natural Birth Center just down the hall from the traditional L&D ward. She had fought against the sheer tide of unresearched vitriol she often encountered from medical ‘professionals’. Little did they know, as Rey did not advertise it widely, Rey was a doctor herself. Well, she finished medical school and had started in her OBGYN residency until she quit at the end of the second year. She couldn’t do it anymore, fighting against the system. She needed to break free. She went back through the nurse midwifery path and established herself firmly, as a no-nonsense, competent leader - one who was adept at risk stratification and recognizing warning signs early. Rey was beloved, warm, free spirited, practical, and, above all, the best. 

Though he had worked there for a solid two months, Ben had yet to come into contact with Rey, though he had heard some of the residents speaking of her renown in hushed tones during their MFM rotation. All residents spent two months in the Natural Birth Center under her tutelage throughout their program - it was good to expose them to normal. Rey had successfully convinced several of the residents not to abandon the wealth of prior knowledge handed down through generations to limit invasive intervention unless it became necessary. Ben, sure of what he knew and with his prior exposure to the fallout he experienced and salvage he had performed after attempted home births over the years, was uncertain about the institution’s indulgence of hippie commune whims of the bourgeoisie. He was certain, however, that he was glad his wing was as far as possible from the center, so he could focus on the safety of the most vulnerable without interference. He had seen what could go wrong in unpracticed hands. 

Then it happened. Ben was paged to a room in the normal L&D ward. He ran into the room, a woman screaming. No she wouldn’t let them cut her open! Her baby just needed to be flipped. 

Her baby was breech, ‘a breech delivery is too risky,’ the residents told her; she wouldn’t listen. They had called Dr. Solo to help them. She was already in the second stage of her labor, had been contracting for 3 hours, her cervix dilating and effacing by the hour. It was her first baby, the woman was scared and afraid. She just wanted a normal birth. Ben introduced himself and spoke with her very frankly about the risks of a breech delivery. He had done them but due to her progress in labor, he wouldn’t advise it. He recommended a C-section. The woman refused “What about that midwife lady, that lady Rey in the ads? Call her, Call her - I won’t let you touch my baby until you call her!” 

_Oh, here we go_ , thought Ben, preparing for a fight. 

Rey arrived within minutes of the call. She entered the room and assessed the situation. This was not the first time she’d encountered this situation. Dr. Solo had recommended C-section, her personal OB the same, but the mother was still refusing. The scenario was dangerous, the baby was tolerating it okay for now but had shown a few indicators of distress. 

“Who is the attending taking over this case?” Rey asked. 

“I am.” Ben raised his hand and approached her from across the room. “Can we talk in the hallway?” 

“Sure, yes, of course”

“Hi, I’m Rey.”

“Dr. Solo, I’m Dr. Solo.” 

“Oh yes - you’re new here, that’s right. MFM.. hmm. I see, I’m not over there often.”

“Of course you’re not. I would…” Ben cut himself off, seeing the look in her eyes.

“Listen, I’m not here to prove myself to you Dr. Solo. What I am here to do is tend to the patient I was called to assess. I wasn’t just walking around from room to room you know. I have two deliveries going on elsewhere.”

“Well, they can autopilot and all since they’re ‘natural’ and what not. They probably could’ve done the same thing at home right?” He snarked brazenly. 

“Dr. Solo, I’ll have you know, that is a very absurd and characterized assumption. And I don’t have time to go through this right now!”

“So what are you about to propose we do? Just deliver this baby breech showing some early distress? I don’t understand what business you even have being here.”

“You and I both know that I was paged here at the request of the patients. You and I also both know that there is a maneuver we can try.”

“External Cephalic Version? No one does that anymore. Risk bradycardia, bleeding, cord prolapse?”

“Yes, ECV. I have done it successfully. The risks? Yes, that’s why we do it in the OR under intense monitoring in case you need to emergently intervene. I’m not here to speak for you but it is reasonable. She has no contraindications, nothing is engaged from the ultrasound. Now is the time if we want to prevent a C-section and that is what the patient is saying she wants. What is the harm in trying if we are ready to intervene immediately and the mother is willing to accept them?”

“Fine. If the mother is willing to accept the risks of a potential emergent C-section then I will be ready. We will acquire consent for both and I want her prepped and ready in case I need to save the baby.”

“Wonderful. Let’s both speak with her, then”

Ben and Rey spoke with the mother and discussed all the risks, benefits, and potential outcomes. She was willing to proceed if there was a way to potentially prevent a C-section and try for a vaginal birth. 

The patient was brought back to the operating room. She was prepped and draped in the usual sterile fashion. Ben and Rey both scrubbed in. The anesthesiologists were ready in case she needed to be emergently put down. All the equipment and tools were ready in case of emergency and the time out was called. The ultrasound was sterilely prepped and Rey and Ben both re-inspected the positioning of the baby as well as the amniotic fluid index. Rey looked for the best direction to turn the baby.

After everything was confirmed, Rey found and palpated both the head and the baby’s bottom. The mother felt the intense pressure as Rey began to rotate the baby clockwise. The heart rate dipped as the baby turned. Rey let go. Both her and Ben stared at the tocometer and fetal heart rate tracings, holding their breath.

The baby rebounded. Ben looked over to Rey and nodded. They re-examined with the ultrasound. The baby was now almost transverse. Ben put his hands over the pregnant belly and felt for the baby’s head and bottom, cradling it. Rey reached over and placed her hands over Ben’s. 

“Ok, momma, we’re halfway there, a couple more moves and we may have this finished. Keep holding on, you’re doing great.” 

The mother sighed. Rey applied steady pressure over Ben’s hands, directing both him and the baby simultaneously. As the baby rotated, the mother let out a scream. 

Ben’s hands jerked. 

Rey looked him in the eye and whispered. “It’s ok. She’ll be ok.” Then, more loudly, “Another push or two and we’ll be there, momma!” 

Ben looked her in the eyes and this time Rey nodded. Ben let her hands guide his with gentle but firm, confident pressure as they continued to rotate the baby to what felt like a cephalic presentation.

They let their hands rest as the baby dipped into an arrhythmia. As they breathed deeply in unison, the arrhythmia resolved. Ben squeezed Rey's hand and they confirmed the cephalic presentation with the ultrasound.

“Ok, we’re done here. No need for any further procedures. We can break down the room.” Ben pronounced.

He and Rey removed the drapes from the patient and took off their gowns and gloves. They approached the head of the bed.

“Thank you, thank you both so much.” The mother said with tears in her eyes. 

“You’re welcome.” Rey said and began to walk out of the room.

Ben said “It’s because of her.” 

Ben went out towards the core. He had to speak to her before she disappeared. 

“Rey!” He called out.

She stopped and turned around before hitting the double doors that went out into the hallway.

“Yes, Dr. Solo?” she responded. 

“Ben, actually, just Ben.” 

“Ok, Ben Solo.” 

“Listen, I’m sorry for the things I said. I shouldn’t have let my past experiences taint our early discussions and project that onto you. I’m sorry. What you did, what you helped me do, it was the right call.” 

“Well, I appreciate the apology. You’re welcome, Ben Solo,” Rey said as she walked away and disappeared into the hallway. Ben was curious and captivated. He had never met anyone like her. He wondered if he ever would again. 

The next two weeks, Ben could not stop thinking of her. The way she had controlled that situation. Her clinical competence, her respectful confidence. The way her hands felt guiding his, steady and sure, unwavering. The brilliance in her eyes. He quietly paid particular attention to any resident remarks or conversations about her and their experiences. He may have even indulged in asking a question or two. He tried to remain focused on his clinical work, his research. He remained meticulous in his work; his surgical precision was impeccable. He could have been anything he wanted to be, but this, this was his life’s work. 

Saving mothers’ and babies’ lives, just like his had been saved. 

Word of Dr. Solo was making its way around the hospital, not just within the department. Rey had heard about him through her rotating juniors. His precise hands, his quick, prescient decision making, the way he was prolonging gestation times for patients on the brink of viability. 

Of course, there were some hushed tones and quiet giggles about his looks. His suits, the way he seemed to stretch out his scrubs to the point where you could almost hear them screaming. The way this large, built man could be at times so intimidating,commanding the room cool-headedly in an emergency, but he could also be so soft and otherworldly when things were calm. 

How his big hands were so soft and gentle cradling the babies’ precious heads, the way they made preemies look the size of Precious Moments figurines. Dr. Solo was often seen at night walking around the NICU holding some of the weakest ones.

Rey had not necessarily initially imagined him to be this way but then again she had seen the hint of his softness as he unashamedly and vulnerably placed his hands on the child during their encounter and opened himself up to learning from her. Maybe, he was different than she thought. But nevermind, there were other things to focus on, too much work to do to chase after a fantasy. 

It was late one night, approaching 2 in the morning. Rey’s patient Rose was continuing to labor but as time went on, her progress was stalling. She was attempting a water birth, in one of the center’s large tubs. Getting cervical checks as needed, she was dilated to the max and 100% effaced. Her contractions were speeding but no progress was made for the last hour despite the pushing and intensity. 

Rey continued to make her stand up for tocometry and fetal heart monitoring checks every 15 minutes, yet her concerns were growing. She had made hints of this and was giving Rose time to accept that maybe things would not be unfolding as sheand Hux had hoped. Rose was persistent and determined. Hux was beginning to look increasingly worried and paler than he had ever looked before. Rey checked the baby’s tracings another time and sure enough - there were signs of distress developing. And the baby was still not making any station progress.

“Rose, I’m sorry but we’ve talked about this, even before in the office. I think we need to listen to what this process is telling us.” 

“Rey, No, No , please, please” 

“Rose this is not a failure! This is doing what is right for your baby. You have to accept this.” 

“But Rey, I ….” she said, beginning to cry, “I just wanted this to be normal!” 

“Rose, darling, I know you’re disappointed, but me too. We need to do what’s right for our baby and what’s right for you. I need you both to be safe with me.” 

“Ok, Ok, Ok. Please, Rey. Call who you trust the most.”

Rey knew what she needed to do.

“Please page Dr. Solo to this number. NOW!” she called the page operator. 

She then called the OR and told them there would be an emergency C-section and to get things ready, as Dr. Solo would confirm with them soon.

Ben called Rey. “Yes, hello, this is Dr. Solo.” he said groggy, half asleep..

“Ben. It’s Rey, I have an emergency, its failure to progress. It’s cephalopelvic disproportion. We’ve been stalled for about an hour, but the station isn’t changing. The tracings aren’t quite emergent but its heading that way and I’d rather get this done now before it gets worse.” 

Ben asked Rey a few more questions and said he’d be on his way. He showed up about 15 minutes later, still with a bit of bedhead. He looked at the tracings. He saw the signs Rey was concerned about.

“Rose this is Dr. Solo, I called him because I would trust him with my own life and my own child if I were in your shoes.” 

“Hi, Rose, I’m Dr. Solo. Rey has picked up on some concerning signs here. May I examine you?” 

“Yes, yes. Do what you need to do.” 

Ben verified Rey’s findings, the station was -1. At this point, it would only be more dangerous to wait. There were increasing variable decelerations, and now persistent tachycardia starting to develop over the last fifteen minutes. Ben couldn’t feel a prolapsed cord, but overall this pattern was not heading anywhere promising. 

“Rose, and, uh..” 

“Hux” 

“Rose and Hux, Rey here is right. Your baby is heading in the wrong trajectory and we need to act soon. With where the baby is in relation to your cervix, how long it's been stalled, and the signs on the monitor, we’re at a point where I’m afraid more time will not make a difference. The baby’s heart rate is starting to increase with lack of fluid and perhaps something more nefarious. Unfortunately, I know it’s not what you wanted. It’s not what anybody wants, but right now the best thing for you and your baby is to perform a C-section and I recommend we do it now before your baby becomes more distressed.”

Hux took Rose’s hand and looked into her eyes.

“You’ve been amazing, you’re so strong. Will you let them take the burden off you?” 

Rose nodded through the tears rolling down her cheeks. 

“Yes, save my baby. I just want her to be safe.” 

“I’ll call the OR.”

Ben dialed the OR. The nurses told him the room was already almost ready and they’d send for her.

“Rey said you’d call to confirm.” 

“Oh she did, huh?” he said and smirked as he hung up the phone. Ben headed to the locker room, changed into his scrubs and prepared for the OR. Rey stayed with Rose and Hux and helped the nurses get her ready and onto the stretcher, rolling her down the hallway with Hux following at her side. They got her to the room quickly.

Hux was fitted with a bunny suit as Rose was rolled in. He was prepped on what to do and where he could sit and stay with her. The anesthesiologist, Poe Dameron, quickly placed a spinal catheter in record time. The SA, Finn, already had the tools and instrument trays ready. 

Rose was quickly prepped and draped and Hux was brought into the room. Ben stood at the scrub sink doing a prolonged scrub. 

“Rey, I want you in the room too. They know you, they trust you.”

“Really?” Rey said. 

“Absolutely.” Ben replied as he held his arms up, ready to head in the room. Rey watched as the beads of water slowly traced along the curves of his forearms and dropped one by one to the floor, mesmerized by both the hardness of his muscles and the softness in his voice. 

“Rey!” Ben said, “Hello! Are you coming?” 

“Yes, Yes, let me grab a mask.” She fumbled to reach the top shelf, tip-toeing with a little jump.

_Why were the best masks almost always out of reach?_ she thought to herself as she made her way into the room. 

By the time she entered, Rose was already prepped and draped. Hux was seated beside her head on a stool, whispering into her ear and stroking her forehead. Rey stood gazing at the operating table as Ben finished the time-out with the staff. She watched as he precisely made his incision. “Your baby will be here in no-time” he said. 

In the meantime, the tracings had worsened, but by Ben’s calmness, no one would’ve known. Ben quickly and skillfully moved through the layers of the abdominal wall and came upon the uterus after he retracted down the bladder. He could see the baby moving, stretching out the uterine walls. In less than 10 minutes time, Ben was holding the baby up. Its cries were heard.

“She’s here” Ben yelled. 

Rose and Hux were crying holding each other's hands. 

Ben passed the baby off to the nurses and the pediatricians performed their examination, confirming appropriate APGARs. 

Once they called them out, Ben directed sternly “Bring her over to the parents, let them skin-to-skin. Hand her to Rey.”

Rey held the baby and smiled. She brought her over to Rose and helped her pull down her gown under the drapes, placing the baby on her bare chest. She took Hux’s phone to record their first moments. The baby was an adorable tiny little thing with a button nose and fiery red-brown hair. 

“What should we name her?” Hux said. 

“What about Ginger?” Rose said through tears of joy.

“Ginger. That’s sweet. Ginger Rose. What about that?” 

“Ginger Rose.” They both laughed and kissed. 

Rey turned her attention to Ben who had been busy obtaining meticulous hemostasis and had already stitched together the uterine muscle. He performed thorough inspection of her pelvis to rule out any anatomic abnormalities or hidden pathology while he was there. 

When all was clear, she brought together her abdominal layers and topped off the Pfannenstiel with a 5-0 monocryl closure befitting a plastic surgeon. Her wound was dressed and the drapes were removed. 

“Congratulations” Ben said as he approached Rose and Hux. Ginger Rose was already learning to latch. “She’s beautiful.”

“Thank you, Dr. Solo. Thank you, Rey,” they said smiling. 

Rey exited out into the OR hall. Ben trailed behind. 

“Rey can I talk to you?”

“Yes, of course.” 

“Somewhere, more private maybe?” 

“Um,ok.” Ben used his badge to open one of the side storage closets off the edge of the core. Rey followed him inside. 

“Rey, I wasn’t on call tonight.” 

“Oh, Ben, I’m so sorry, I… why didn’t you..” 

“Rey, it's ok. When I saw the number and then heard your voice. I knew it meant something and I wanted to help you and I really don’t mind coming in.” 

“I just, I trusted you Ben. Everything I’ve been hearing. They said they wanted the person I would trust.” 

“Rey, I’m glad you called. You were right and you knew what to do and most importantly, you knew before it became a real emergency. Your judgement. It amazes me. I’ve never met a midwife who is as talented and had such intuitive and practical clinical judgement…”

“Well, Ben, you know I am a doctor too, or was a doctor…”

“Really? Why? I mean, what changed?”

“I was doing my OB residency and I just… I couldn’t sit by and do the things we did… treat birth like it was always a medical procedure. To see women treated so stringently and doing things out of the motions instead of evidence. And yes, I miss that feeling of saving the day, but my heart was here. With the woman, with the process, with…”

“With the patient, with the beauty… I understand Rey, I do. Your heart. It's beautiful and I’ve never seen anything like it. Everyday, everything I hear about you, it just makes it more clear…”

“More clear…I...” Rey’s heart was beating. 

This man, who was like him? How did he know her like this? He SAW her. He really SAW her. She was trembling. Everything inside of her was drawn to him. Ever since that day when he let her in, when he yielded to her in humility. When he did what was right, not what was convenient, not what made him look like the hero. And even tonight coming in when he wasn’t even on call. When he felt she needed him…

“Rey. I want to KNOW you. I want to be near you. I want the chance to hold your heart. I know…”

“Ben… I… I want.. I want to give you that chance. I think I’m ready to let somebody in.”

Ben’s heart was fluttering. His sweating palms, the sickness in his stomach was beginning to fade.

“Rey, can I? Can I kiss you?”

“Yes, Ben. Yes, you can.”

Rey took a step forward. Ben reached out his hand and looked down at her tiny frame. He placed his right hand on her cheek and bent down towards her as she stood up on her tippy-toes and placed her hands on his chest. 

She could feel his heart racing. He placed his left hand on her back and pulled her into himself. His lips met hers. She felt an electricity surge through her as he parted her lips with his tongue and they danced together as he ran his hand to her neck, caressing her jaw with his thumb. 

He wanted this to last forever. He had never felt this alive. But he also didn’t want to overwhelm her. He gently ended the kiss, feeling her linger on his lips. They both took the moment to catch their breath, staring in each other's eyes. Rey felt herself in a daze - she had been waiting for that kiss all her life - and it had finally come. 

Ben smiled as he had never smiled before, a joy arising from the deepest part of his soul. They both knew this was meant to be. Those years of waiting, coming to a close. 

“Rey, can I take you out tomorrow night? Or I guess it would be tonight?” Ben asked, realizing it was now four a.m. as he glanced at the wall clock. 

“Yes, Ben. I would very much like that.”

“I don’t know where yet. But I’ll pick you up here in front of the parking garage at say… 7pm... Business casual… I promise I’ll make it a nice place” Ben said, surprisingly nervous as he scratched the back of his neck with an anxious energy. 

“As long as you’re there, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ll be waiting for you at 7pm,” Rey said,smiling. 

Amused by his awkward grace, she reached up and touched his cheek, pulling his face down towards hers, she gave him a sweet little peck on the bridge of his nose.

“I’ll see you tonight,” she said and floated wistfully out of the room. 

Ben took a deep breath as he watched her saunter away. He couldn’t believe he had found her at last and there was no way he was ever going to let himself lose her.

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to SheWalksInBeauty26 (@StarWhores4) - the light of my life, who also crushed it with the moodboard!


End file.
